Just entered the Medium today as he is already qualified at Elem and I don't have a floorplan for Advanced Medium yet. Meant could really concentrate on one good test. He was rather livelier than at Priory at the weekend. It was a bit cooler and I gave him a bit of extra TopSpec Turbo. He was like a different horse - much better than having to kick him round! He is harder to collect when he is like that though and as a result our simple changes from counter canter suffered. The floorplan worked well though. We stuck to the same canter plan - HP to counter canter 1/2 15m circle to extended canter across the diagonal, simple change through two 1/2 10m circles, repeat HP to counter canter 1/2 15m circle then 3 loop serpentine with simple change through counter canter on each loop and a final extended canter into counter canter across the diagonal, then medium trot. Then I switched the SI and HP so started with the HP change of hand, SI up long side, two 1/2 10m circles and other SI, walk down long side, extended walk across diagonal and medium walk round 1/2 20m circle, into trot and down centre line. Generally it was a nice test and his right canter HP was lovely - he really flowed in it. For some reason we have swapped sides at the moment. Right HP used to be impossible and now it's easy and left is hard work. Medium trot feels like he is really trying at the moment - I feel it's just a matter of time before he can produce something quite decent!
Turns out we won the Restricted on 67.33% so have qualified for Regionals. There were only 2 Open, 2 Restricted but we were 2nd Overall and only 0.5% behind the winner - yay!
Afterwards just popped him back in the warmup for 10mins as not doing another test so took advantage of the big arena and did a few tempi changes. Managed lines of 4's and 3's but he just needs to stay softer and rounder in the changes which will come as he improves his balance. Also he is worst coming off the right rein as he is bulging through his left shoulder which is affecting our straightness into a single change, let alone a line of them. Definitely top on list of things to sort out!
Here he is in his half pass and a very posh winning rosette.
No comments:
Post a Comment